The city of Washington, D.C. is the seat of the United States government. To avoid quarrels between states vying for the obvious benefit of hosting the new nation's capital, the District of Columbia was created as a compromise. Near Maryland and Virginia, D.C. is under the jurisdiction of no state--only Federal and city governments. Citizens of Washington vote for the President, but do not have representation in the Senate. In addition, they send one non-voting delegate to the House of Representatives.

As the home of the Federal Government, Washington is dependent on the government for its economic stability. Thankfully, this is not much of a worry, and Washington enjoys a stable economy. The government is the largest employer in Washington, and the city enjoys a slightly higher standard of living than the rest of the nation.

Real Estate in Washington

Homes in Washington are more pricey than the national average, but not disproportionately so. The city's residents have a higher average income than other cities, and slightly lower taxes. The government and federal contractors provide work for most of the city, and this reliable employment makes a stable real estate market.

For a bargain home in Washington, you might want to explore foreclosure homes. These are properties where the previous owner defaulted on a mortgage and the property was repossessed by the lender. These properties are sold off at bargain prices, and foreclosure listings can be found online. These internet companies compile data from lenders, rather than realtors, and organize their listings by county. Some foreclosure listings require subscriptions.